


Then Came You

by tabbytabbytabby



Category: 9-1-1 (TV), Merlin (TV)
Genre: Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Meetings, Fluff, Light Angst, Living Together, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:00:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24361735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: Josh is sitting in his apartment enjoying a nice bottle of wine when his world gets turned upside down by the appearance of none other than King Arthur.
Relationships: Arthur Pendragon/Josh Russo
Comments: 8
Kudos: 17





	Then Came You

**Author's Note:**

> I blame Adri for this. That's all. It was supposed to be short and cracky, and then things happened. I have no excuses.

Josh is sitting on his couch, a glass of wine in front of him, along with the half-finished bottle. Some cheesy romcom is playing on the TV. Buck had recommended it, telling him it was the worst but best thing he would ever watch. So far Josh is leaning towards the worst. 

He's debating turning it off and putting on something more his taste, when a blinding white light fills his apartment. 

He raises his arms to shield his gaze, his mind racing with all the things that could be happening. Maybe he should have listened to Buck's idea about alien proofing the apartment. 

The light disappears and he lowers his arms. He's not sure what he's expecting to see. A man in purple robes or a tall green figure with six arms and two heads maybe. Certainly not what's actually standing in the middle of his living room. 

A man with blond hair, decked out in full armor, including a sword. 

"What the hell?"

"Who are you?" the armored man asks, pointing his sword at him. "Where am I?"

Josh stares at the man for a moment, his eyes drifting down to the very real and sharp looking sword pointed at his chest, before meeting his gaze. "I'm Josh, and you're in my apartment."

The man's brow furrows. "What's an apartment? Is it a lair?"

Josh snorts at that, only to raise his hands when the man jerks his sword. "Some of my friends would say so." Maddie especially. She'd probably get a kick out of a handsome knight just appearing in front of him. Especially blond and blue eyed and just his type. "But no. This is my home. Where I live."

The man looks around them with a frown, his sword lowering slightly. "You live here? Isn't it a bit… small?"

Josh bristles at that. Now Maddie really would be laughing. She's said the same thing to him multiple times. "No. It's perfectly fine. Especially since it's just me."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." The man looks back at him. A genuine look of apology on his handsome face.

"What's your name?" Josh asks him. 

"Arthur," the man says, and sheaths his word. "Arthur Pendragon."

Josh's first instinct is to laugh. There's a man in front of him, dressed in full armor, claiming to be the mythological king of Camelot. But something tells Josh he should believe him. He had just witnessed him appear out of thin air, after all. Either he’s really drunk, dreaming, or this is real.

"How did you get here, Arthur?" Josh finds himself asking. 

Arthur's face falls at that. "Merlin," he whispers. "He sent me here."

"Why?"

"To save me. The battle was raging on. And he appeared in all his powerful, magical glory and told me I had to leave. I wouldn't. I'm not a coward. I wasn't going to flee the battle. No matter what it would cost me. But Merlin, he wouldn't listen. He said he couldn't let me die."

Arthur looks pained as he speaks of Merlin. It should all sound ridiculous, like the man in front of him is a lunatic. After all the shit he's been through he should be rushing to call the cops. But he doesn't. He just wants to comfort the man in front of him. 

"So Merlin sent you here to save your life," Josh says. 

Arthur nods, "Yes. I didn't know that's what he was planning. He told me he was sorry and that I would be safe here."

Josh frowns at that. How would Merlin know Arthur would be safe here? Did he mean here in Josh's apartment, or the general here of the future? 

Surely sending his king off alone to some strange place wasn't the safest option. 

He shakes his head. It's spinning, and it's only a little bit from the wine. 

"Would you like something to drink?" Josh offers, getting to his feet and heading towards the kitchen. "Or eat? You must be hungry."

Arthur is silent as Josh busies himself in the kitchen, looking for something a millennia old king would find appetizing. Pizza is probably too much, right? And besides, he’d actually have to cook it. Maybe...

"What's that?"

Josh jumps at the sound of Arthur's voice right behind him, smacking his head on the counter in the process. 

"Fuck," he hisses, bringing a hand up to his head. "Way to sneak up on a guy."

Arthur frowns down at him, "You need to be more aware of your surroundings."

"I'm in my own apartment," Josh argues. 

Arthur just shakes his head and pushes Josh's hand away. Josh stands frozen as Arthur carefully presses against his scalp with his fingers. "I don't see any blood."

"I think I'll live," Josh says, looking up into the blue eyes that are gazing at him thoughtfully. The moment is surprisingly tender. Something Josh tries not to think too much about. The last thing he needs is to fall for a man that should be long dead. "It's not the first time it's happened."

"Well then it's a good thing I'm here," Arthur says. 

"It is?"

Arthur nods, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Someone has to look after this head of yours."

Josh doesn't miss the implication. He thinks he'll be here awhile. "And you think that's you?"

Arthur shrugs, "I might not know anything about this strange world I've found myself in, but I do know about protecting people."

Josh is about to tell him he doesn't need protection. Then he has flashes of that night in the park and dispatch being taken over. He shudders and Arthur frowns. "Are you alright?"

Josh smiles tightly. "Fine. I just could have used your sword a few weeks ago."

"Well you have it now," Arthur tells him. "Whatever evil you're facing, I'll be there."

Josh tries to imagine Arthur walking around the streets of Los Angeles like this and smiles. 

"You think you're staying?" Josh asks him. "Don't you want to get home?"

Arthur lets out a breath and drops his hand. "At first that's all I could think about. I left my friends. My kingdom. I don't know if they're safe or…"

He trails off and turns his head towards the window. Josh knows where he was going. He remembers reading about Arthur's final battle so many times as a kid. He'd been obsessed. He'd always dreamed of a knight like Arthur swooping in and saving him. It's funny that Arthur should appear here now.

Josh bites his lip and looks at his bookcase. Even now he has multiple books on the legend of King Arthur. Only one of them had mentioned anything about Arthur vanishing…

He goes to the shelf, trailing his fingers along the spines, trying to find the one he's looking for. 

"What are you doing?" Arthur asks him. 

"There are a lot of books about you," Josh tells him, throwing a grin over his shoulder. "You're a bit of a legend."

"I am?"

Josh nods and turns back to the books, finally spotting the one he wants. "There's been a lot of different interpretations over the years. No one knows which one is accurate. If any. But this one," he places the book on the table and flips through the pages. "This is the only one I remember mentioning you disappearing."

"You've read about me?" Arthur asks, a note of teasing in his voice as he takes a seat next to him.

"Yeah, you were kind of my hero," Josh admits.

"Is that right?"

Josh nods, "You were always so strong and brave. I never felt like that. At least not when I was younger. And not recently either. Not until…" he trails off and shakes his head. "It's not important. What is important is this." He points down at the page. "Your kingdom thrived. Merlin, Guinevere, the knights, they survived. And um…"

"What is it?" 

"Your son," Josh says. "He grew up to be a great king and brought peace to the lands."

"My son?" Arthur whispers. Josh moves the book closer to Arthur, giving him space to look down at the book. He runs his fingers across the image of Guinevere on the throne with a baby in her arms. "Gwen and I, we weren’t…. We tried for the kingdom, of course. But I didn't even know…" he trails off and wipes at his eyes. "I have a son."

"You do," Josh says, watching him carefully. Josh doesn't mention this is just one version of the story. Surely, if Arthur is standing here with him this is the one that's true. "He was a great king, your majesty."

Arthur laughs wetly, "You don't have to call me that. I'm not a king here."

Silence falls between them. One that Josh isn't sure how to fill. He doesn't try. He leaves Arthur to the books and his thoughts while he heads back to the kitchen, intent on finding something Arthur can eat. He settles for something simple. A ham sandwich and water.

"The food is ready," Josh calls, making his way back to the table. He sets a plate and glass down in front of Arthur before grabbing his own food and taking the seat across from him.

"What is this?" Arthur asks, looking down at the sandwich.

"Ham, bread, and cheese," Josh says. "And something we call mayonnaise. It's good. Gives the whole thing some flavor."

Arthur still looks unsure, even as he picks up the sandwich. Josh watches as he takes a bite, chewing thoughtfully. Finally, he smiles. "It's good. It doesn't taste like anything we had in Camelot."

Josh would imagine not. "That is just a start on your food journey," he says, popping a chip into his mouth.

"What are those?"

"Oh, these are potato chips," Josh says. He pushes his plate towards the middle of the table. "Try one."

Arthur does, looking as little more unsure than he did with the sandwich. His eyes widen as he eats one. "That was the best thing I've ever eaten."

Josh grins at that and hands the bag over. It's a little surreal sitting in his kitchen with King Arthur bonding over potato chips. He's still not completely sure he's not going to wake up in a few hours and find this was all some crazy dream. 

And if it's not? Well, then his reality has gotten a hell of a lot more interesting.

* * *

It's not a dream, of course. He wakes up the next morning and walks into his living room to find Arthur fast asleep on the couch. 

He's wearing a pair of Josh's Star Wars pajama pants and a t-shirt, which makes him look softer somehow. It's hard to look like an intimidating king in cotton pajamas. 

Now that he knows he's real that leaves Josh with the question of what in the hell he's supposed to do with him. 

He thinks about calling Maddie, but she'll probably think he's been housing a crazy person. He wouldn't blame her for that. It does all sound crazy. But it's not. It's real, and Josh isn't sure what to do with that. 

It's not as if he can just send Arthur out into the world. Not with everything so new and foreign to him. 

No, he has to help him. He's going to get Arthur used to living here in the future and then… well that'll be up to Arthur. 

It never occurred to him before just how much he takes the things in his life for granted. At least not until he's having to explain electricity and running water and the internet to Arthur. Water somehow comes easiest to him. It's also the thing he's most fascinated by. The first time he takes a shower he's in there until he skin is pink and pruned and the water has gone cold. 

The sight of him in Josh's clothes with his hair in disarray has Josh's heart flipping. He looks adorable and Josh just wants to…

No. He has to shake that thought away. He's not going to develop feelings for Arthur. Someone who is more than out of his league. And definitely has to be straight. 

Except the more time he spends with him, the harder it is not to fall. Arthur is brilliant and funny and beautiful. How could Josh not want him?

Usually this would be something he talks to Maddie about. The only problem is she still doesn't know about Arthur. He's come close to telling her so many times, but each time has stopped himself. She knows something is up. He can tell by the way she watches him, or frowns when he tells her he can’t come over for game night again.

Of course, he should have remembered how persistent Maddie is. Maybe then he would have been prepared for the sight he sees when he walks into his apartment three months after Arthur showed up to find her sitting on his couch. 

"Maddie?" Josh looks from her to Arthur, trying to figure out what's going on. "What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

"Arthur let me in," she says. "Am I not allowed to visit my best friend?"

"Of course you are but…" he turns to Arthur with a frown. "I thought we talked about you opening the door."

Arthur rolls his eyes, and Josh wishes for a moment he hadn't introduced him to Netflix. "She said her name, and you've talked about how close you are. I knew she wasn't a threat."

"Of course not," Maddie says, looking offended at the thought. 

"Besides," Arthur continues, "I wanted to meet her. Meet other people." 

Josh slowly lowers the bags to the counter and takes a breath. "Right. Of course you do. I…"

Arthur sighs and gets to his feet. "I like being here with you." He steps into the kitchen and closer to Josh. "But Merlin didn't send me here so I could just hide away forever."

"I'm sorry, Merlin?" Maddie questions, looking between the two of them in confusion. 

"Yes, my court sorcerer and best friend," Arthur says. He smiles at Josh. "Besides you, of course."

"Okay I thought… I feel like I'm missing a lot here. I just thought he was your boyfriend."

"My boyfriend?" Arthur questions.

"You know," Maddie gestures between them. Josh is torn between wishing he could disappear or somehow reach Maddie before she finishes her sentence. "Romantically involved. Dating. In love. Whatever you want to call it."

And yeah, Josh really does wish the ground would swallow him up and save him further embarrassment. 

"Oh," Arthur says, his eyes settling on Josh. "Is that…?"

Josh closes his eyes and takes a deep, steadying breath. "I need wine."

"Josh," Maddie says gently. "Why don't you just explain what's going on here?"

"I will," Josh tells her. "But first, I need wine and to put the groceries away before anything melts."

"Come," Arthur says. "I can tell you. If that's okay?"

"It's…" Josh nods stiffly. "Sure. You were there and can probably explain it better than I can."

He hasn't been able to look at Arthur, but he can imagine the frown that must be lining his face. 

He pours himself a glass of wine, and has it finished in the short time it takes him to put the groceries away. He lingers there, a second glass in his hand. He doesn't drink it yet, just takes comfort in the fact that it's there. 

He knows he should join Arthur and Maddie in the living room. But he doesn't yet. His mind is still a mess. He feels shaken, unsure suddenly. 

He's gotten so used to having Arthur here alone. The sudden change is jarring. He knows that's not fair, to any of them. It's been selfish keeping Arthur here to himself. Arthur's right. He deserves to get out and see this new world he's found himself in. To experience everything it has to offer. 

"So you've been here for three months and haven't left the apartment?" Maddie is asking when Josh walks into the room. Her eyes find Josh. "Interesting. What _have_ you been doing?"

"Watching a lot of Netflix," Josh says, and takes a seat on the couch next to Arthur.

"Of course. You have a legendary king in your apartment and the first thing you introduce him to is Netflix."

"It's been very educational," Arthur says. "I've learned a lot about your way of life."

"Josh," Maddie says, exasperated. "You have to get this poor man out."

"I will," Josh assures her. "The weather's been nice. So I was thinking a hike or a picnic."

"Now that's more like it," Maddie smiles. 

"I do like nature," Arthur says. "I spent a lot of time outdoors in Camelot. Then again, we didn't have Netflix."

"Sometimes I wish we didn't now," Maddie says. "It takes away from human interaction."

"We've talked," Josh says, affronted.

"We have," Arthur agrees. "Josh has been the perfect host. Far more hospitable than some of the kings I knew. None of them would share their beds."

A slow grin spreads across Maddie's face, "So you've been sleeping in Josh's bed? With Josh?"

"Of course," Arthur says. "He offered to take the couch, but after spending a night on it myself I couldn't allow it that kind of torture."

And that had been quite the argument. Both he and Arthur had been insistent. In the end, Arthur had won out. But only because he'd wrestled Josh to the bed and held him there until he fell asleep. And well, it just kept happening after that. Not the wrestling, but the sleeping and sometimes the cuddling.

Not that he's going to tell Maddie all that. She already looks too pleased. 

"I see," Maddie says, looking between the two of them. "Well I'm certainly glad you landed here in Josh's apartment. You're good for each other."

"As am I," Arthur says. "I'm very lucky to have Josh as my…" Josh braces himself for the word friend and the disappointment that will come with it. "Companion."

And oh. That hadn't been what Josh was expecting. What the hell does companion even mean?

"You've been watching Doctor Who again," Josh teases, trying to bring a little of the lightness back. 

Arthur knocks they're shoulders together, "Of course I have. It's intriguing. And David Tennant is, what is it you say? Hot?"

Josh gapes. He can't help it. The whole three months he's known Arthur he's never said anything of the sort about another man.

"So you like men, Arthur?" Maddie asks. 

" _Maddie_!" Josh hisses, even though he's desperate to know the answer. 

"It wasn't something that was common in Camelot," Arthur admits. "I know a few of my knights were… together. But we never spoke of it. Your time seems to be much more accepting, I'm seeing. At least from what I've watched and read."

"Read?" Josh asks, voice higher than he'd like. He can't help it. This is earth shattering information. 

Arthur nods and meets his gaze, "I used your computer because I was curious. There are a lot of videos on the subject. Some were…interesting." Josh chokes on his tongue. God. Arthur had found porn. Gay porn. "I also found some useful information and a word for what I am. Bisexual."

"That's great Arthur," Maddie says. She reaches over and pats his hand. "I'm glad you were able to find what you need."

"As am I," Arthur says. "I can't wait to get out and see more of your world."

Maddie laughs, "Who knows? If you leave this apartment you might never want to come back."

And there it is. Josh's biggest fear. Arthur is amazing and full of life. He deserves every good thing this world has to offer him. Certainly more than Josh.

"You got quiet," Maddie says a while later when he's walked her to the door. 

"Sorry." Josh leans against the wall and crosses his arms. “I’ve just been thinking.”

“About Arthur?” Maddie guesses. Not that it was probably that hard. She’s always been able to read him too well.

“Yes,” Josh says. He looks down the hall to where Arthur is sitting on the couch. He can hear the quiet noise coming from the TV, no doubt more Doctor Who. Something about the show has drawn him in. Josh enjoys the show, and Arthur’s love of it, too much to question it.

“You two seem to have gotten close,” Maddie says. “So why didn’t you want me to meet him?”

“Honestly? I wasn’t sure if you’d believe any of this,” Josh says. “At first I wasn’t sure. If he hadn’t just appeared out of thin air in front of me I would have thought he was crazy. But… he’s incredible, Maddie. I mean, you met him. You know. And I…”

“You love him,” Maddie says softly. 

Josh’s eyes widen and his head whips back around to face her. “What?”

“Oh come on,” Maddie says. “I’m your best friend. I know you. And that look you get when you talk about him? Or hell when you two were together? It’s obvious, Josh.”

“Not to him,” Josh sighs. “Which is fine. It’s not like he’d ever…”

“Stop it right there,” Maddie says. “You do not get to be self-deprecating tonight.”

“But you heard him,” Josh presses on. “He’s so excited to get out and see the world. What if he does get out there and realize he likes it better than being here with me?”

“He can have both, Josh,” Maddie says. “You two can go out and do things together. Isn’t that what you’ve been wanting?”

Josh sighs, “Of course it is. But…”

“No buts,” Maddie says sternly. “Josh Russo, it is time you went after what you want. And if that’s Arthur, you owe it to both of you to say something.”

Josh knows she’s right. She usually is about this sort of thing. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy, or that he isn't nervous. It’s all he can think about the rest of the night. Through three episodes of Doctor Who, as they get ready for bed, and then as they lay there together, under the covers in silence. His mind is screaming at him to say something. To open his mouth and finally tell Arthur how he feels.

"I want you to stay," Josh whispers into the darkness of the room. “With me.”

Arthur shifts on the bed until he's facing him, his eyes wide and bright, even in the dark. "Then I will. I'd be happy to stay by your side, Josh."

Josh lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding, "Really?"

"Yes," Arthur says. "I'm needed here more than Camelot."

"You're sure? We could try to find a way…"

Even as Josh says the words, he knows how much he hates the thought of sending Arthur back. Even if that hadn’t been what he was talking about when he asked Arthur to stay. It’s something Arthur has clearly thought about. Which makes sense. Camelot was his home for so long.

"No," Arthur says. "My story in Camelot is finished. I read the other tales, Josh. I know I die in all of them. All but this one. Where my son lives and grows to be a great king, with Merlin by his side."

"I'm not sure what I have to offer you here," Josh admits. 

Arthur smiles and cups his cheek. "I don't need anything but you."

"Arthur…"

"When Maddie thought I was your boyfriend," Arthur cuts in, and oh Josh wishes they didn't have to have this talk. "You didn't say anything. Why?"

“I wasn’t sure how you felt,” Josh admits. “I didn’t want to lose you.”

“But it’s what you want?”

“It is,” Josh says. “But only if you…”

Josh stops breathing for a moment when suddenly a pair of soft, warm lips are on his. His eyes flutter closed and his hand moves up to Arthur’s neck, taking comfort in the steady thrumming of his pulse beneath his fingers.

“You’re not going to lose me,” Arthur whispers against his lips. “I can’t promise it will never happen. No one can. But as long as I have my way, I will be by your side. If you’ll have me.”

Josh laughs and kisses him again, just a quick press of lips, before he’s pulling back with a blinding grin. “Of course I will. I’ll always want you here.”

“Is this the part where you confess your undying love for me?” Arthur asks him.

Josh swats his arm with a laugh, “Well not now that you’ve ruined the moment.”

Arthur raises an eyebrow, “Have I though?”

Josh sighs and rests his head against Arthur’s, “No, you haven’t. This moment is too perfect for you to ruin it.”

Arthur smiles and kisses him again, slow and deep, and Josh loses himself in the feeling. “I love you, Josh Russo,” Arthur murmurs against his lips.

“And I love you, Arthur Pendragon.”

And yeah, the moment is definitely not ruined. It’s perfect. 

The next day, Josh takes Arthur out for a picnic in the park. He watches as Arthur looks around at this new world he’s found himself in, taking in everything with a sense of wonder. He knows he’s made the right decision. Arthur made the decision to stay by his side, but that doesn’t mean it has to be within the confines of his apartment. He’s always wanted a life of adventure. Now he has the chance to have that, with Arthur. He’s not about to let it slip by.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to anyone that read this! Kudos/comments make my day 💜  
> You can find me [here on tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)


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